With a rich history spanning more than 300 years, it’s really no surprise that rumors of restless spirits continue to flood some of the most celebrated buildings and properties of Charleston’s historic district. Ghostbuster or not, the Holy City has countless fun (and frightening) Fall activities that are sure to get you into the Halloween spirit. And our staff at Belmond Charleston Place have provided just a few fall favorites for you, along with a Fear Factor scale from 1 to 5 to help guide you on how scary each activity is.

Haunted Harbor Tours
Learn the rich history of the Lowcountry aboard a scenic and relaxing harbor tour on the Carolina Belle, followed by your choice of either a Graveyard or Old City Jail tour with Charleston Harbor Tours. This fun-filled event is family-friendly and allows you to explore a few of the city’s most iconic properties and the uncanny tales that haunt them, all in one evening!
Fear Factor:

Historic Carriage Tours
Experience the Holy City’s many graveyards, churches and other historically haunted buildings while aboard a carriage with Palmetto Carriage Tours. Allow the Haunted History tour guides to amuse you with stories and folklore about local legends that lived and died in Charleston, all the while click-clacking along cobblestone streets.
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Walking Ghost Tours

For an evening full of spooky stories and possible paranormal activity sightings, let Bulldog Tours guide you to some of the most notoriously haunted spots in Charleston’s downtown historic district. Walk among some of the city’s oldest graveyards with the Ghosts & Graveyards tour or, if you’re feeling especially brave, opt for the haunted Old City Jail tour for an eerie evening that is sure to give you goosebumps.
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Boone Hall Plantation

Located just outside of downtown Charleston in Mount Pleasant, Boone Hall Plantation is one of the oldest working plantations, offering multiple activities for Fall. Bring the family and enjoy an afternoon of pumpkin picking at one of Charleston’s largest pumpkin patches or get lost in their carefully crafted corn maze. If you’re in for a good scare, visit the plantation at night for their infamous Boone Hall Fright Nights, complete with four separate attractions, including haunted houses, that are sure to send shivers down your spine.
Pumpkin Picking & Corn Maze Fear Factor:

Fright Night Fear Factor:

For even more haunted adventure in the Holy City, check out our past blog post on Charleston’s spooky side and don’t forget to book your next stay with us to experience all of the frightening and fun activities the Lowcountry has to offer!

Take a walk around the Holy City and chances are your senses will lead you to the sweet scent of pralines wafting down the street.

Pralines can be traced back to early 17th century French history when a diplomat’s personal chef happened to create this tasty sweet treat.

The diplomat had Praslin in his name, which is where the treats’ name comes from, legend has it.

Some say the chef stumbled upon his apprentice just as he knocked over a container of almonds into a vat cooking caramel. Others claim Praslin asked his personal chef to create an irresistible treat that ladies would not be able to deny. He packaged the sugary nuts into little parcels marked with his name, and the name pralines stuck.

In America, pralines first came to Louisiana from the French in the early to mid 1700’s. Almonds were in short supply in the area, and the nut was substituted with pecans, which are local to the region.

Whatever the story, the praline is a sweet confection of pecans and sugar that we can’t get enough of in the South. Pecan pralines spread rapidly throughout the port city of New Orleans and quickly to other Southern cities like Charleston, becoming a popular treat.

We asked Executive Pastry Chef Chris Ryan of Belmond Charleston Place to share his traditional recipe for this Southern indulgence. These sugary, nutty sweets are the perfect treat to make when you’re missing Charleston.

Chef Ryan’s Traditional Pecan Praline Recipe

Butter, unsalted
4 tablespoons

Heavy cream
½ cup

Bourbon (or liquor of choice)
Splash

Granulated (white) sugar
½ pound

Brown sugar
½ pound

Pecans, pieces
1 pound

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except pecans in a pot, with liquid ingredients in bottom of pot. Cook over high heat. Once ingredients come to a boil, bake pecans in oven at 350 degrees to toast for approximately 8 minutes. Using a candy thermometer, measure praline mix temperature. Remove from heat when mixture reaches 240 degrees. Add pecans to pot. Stir lightly. Use wooden spoon or ice cream scoop to portion pralines onto parchment paper. Allow pralines to cool.

Tip: If you have a sweet tooth and are visiting Charleston, pick up a pound of your favorite pralines from one of the local candy shops and take a piece of the South home with you!

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